1. Field
The following description relates to a vacuum cleaner. More specifically, the following description relates to a vacuum cleaner having a sterilization function.
2. Description of Related Art
A vacuum cleaner may draw in and store dust or dirt from a surface to be cleaned by using a suction force generated a vacuum source, for example, a suction motor.
A vacuum cleaner may sterilize germs or mites existing on a surface to be cleaned while cleaning the surface. Such a vacuum cleaner typically radiates ultraviolet rays onto the surface to be cleaned with an ultraviolet lamp mounted in a suction nozzle (or a suction brush), thereby sterilizing the surface to be cleaned.
When the vacuum cleaner is used, the faster the suction nozzle is moved with respect to the surface to be cleaned, the less the ultraviolet rays are radiated onto the surface to be cleaned. That is, the faster the suction nozzle is moved relative the surface, the shorter amount of time the ultraviolet rays are radiated onto a particular portion of the surface. If a sufficient amount of ultraviolet rays is not radiated to the surface to be cleaned, the surface to be cleaned may be poorly sterilized. To obtain a satisfactory sterilization effect, a user should move the suction nozzle at a relatively low speed while cleaning up the surface to be cleaned.
In this case, the time required to clean and sterilize the surface to be cleaned is increased, which may be inconvenient to the user. In addition, it may be difficult or uncomfortable for the user to operate the vacuum cleaner for the increased amount of time it takes to sufficiently sterilize the surface to be cleaned.